Morley Update 2011 #19

Everyone,

Giving. I've been thinking about this quite a bit lately. There was a spirited exchange recently on Facebook over giving a homeless man in McDonalds a dollar. Several people felt you should always give, several felt you can't give to everyone so it was all right to choose to give somewhere else. Then people started sharing ways that they give - donating their old sleeping bags to the homeless etc. And I thought about the verses I recently read again. Luke 21:1-4 "And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury. And He saw a poor widow putting in two small copper coins. And He said, 'Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all of them; for they all out of their surplus put into the offering; but she out of her poverty put in all that she had to live on.'" I was thinking about how Kent and I have a "special fund" - some money we set aside from our income each month to use for special needs for refugees that are outside of what we normally do. Some of the things we have used it for was to buy a refigerator for a single refugee mom with 4 children and to help pay the electricity for another refugee family so they would not have their heat turned off. We bought a small cookstove for another friend and paid for some medicine for another. I'm glad we are able to do these things. We picked the amount to put into the fund by cutting a bit here and a bit there. It might mean we don't eat out too often or buy some of the little extras but it is definitely out of our surplus. We live in a nice home, pay our bills on time and have plenty to eat. In contrast I watch how the refugees share with one another. Mothers who have very little for their own children will divide the bread they have and give to the other children around them. "E" a lady who has been here a long time and would be considered more your typical "bag lady" comes in and she almost always reaches into her bag to give small bits of food and even sometimes a few coins to families with small children. People who have walked across the street to get the free meal handed out in the park share with others who didn't go down. If I am sitting nearby they always offer to share with me as well before they start eating. I am humbled in the face of such sacrificial giving. I pat myself on the back because I got new shoes so I donated my old ones. It never occurs to me to wear my old shoes and buy a pair of new ones to donate. I think this will always be a tension in my life, especially when I am faced daily with those in need, while I have been given much. Pray that we will be sensitive to God's leading in when and how to give. Thank you to those of you who give to us in order that we can in turn give to others.


Many people have been seeing on the news lately pictures of the rioting in the center of Athens. It has been pretty bad the last couple of days because the government is signing into effect the next austerity measures so that Greece can get the next installment of money to stay solvent. People are angry over losing jobs and taking cuts. Many people who have been supporting the work here are now finding themselves in deep financial trouble some even going bankrupt. Most of the people protesting just want to be heard but there is a violent element that seizes this opportunity to riot. Yesterday Kent was riding the motor bike in to a leadership meeting. He had our team mate Christy on behind. They got caught in traffic and suddenly were in the middle of a protest that turned into people shouting and throwing things at the police. The police retailiated by setting off the tear gas cannon just accross the street from where Kent and Christy were. Christy had her wind visor down but Kent had his up and just had his sunglasses on. They got hit by the gas and Kent just had to stop in the middle of traffic for a minute until he could open one eye enough to steer to the side of the road and wash his eyes out. In retrospect they should have know better than to ride through that part of town on a day when there were protests but hindsight is always better than forsight and definitely better than sight with tear gas in your eyes! For the most part we are not affected too much by the riots since we usually know ahead of time when and where protests will be held and can avoid those areas. The transportation strikes are more of an issue. There was a two day bus strike which meant that we had to cancel a beach day we had planned for refugees because we had no way to get them to the beach. After today things should settle down because the voting will be over until the next installment of the loan is due. Please pray for your Greek brothers and sisters as the problems are far from over. Also pray for refugees. As the economic situation worsens there is an increasing racial tension sometimes spilling over into violence against refugees. There are no easy answers for the problems facing this country and for the many refugees who have come here thinking they will find safety and a better life.

We continue to minister to a full crowd at the ARC. We have a waiting list of over 60 names to get tickets for one of our Tuesday meals. In August many refugees will try to leave hoping to be unnoticed among the crowds of tourists and Greeks going on holiday. That usually translates into smaller numbers at the ARC but new people seem to be coming in as fast as people leave. Our Saturday Bible class after tea house has grown. We started the first week with 5 men and Scott, Nader, Kent and I. This week there were 20 men and 1 woman as well as the four of us. We are reading the book of John and allowing them to ask questions. After two hours of questions and answers Scott said we were finished for the day. Many protested that they still had questions but we told them to feel free to ask at another time or save them for the following week. It is wonderful to see the mix of believers and seekers studying together. Pray for Nader as he translates and for the rest of us as we try to lead the discussion. It is good to see that many times answers come from other Persian believers rather than them waiting for one of us to answer.

Thanks to all of you who hold us up in prayer. Kent has been very busy recently as our team leader is still in the US following the death of his father in law. Kent has been standing in the gap doing his job and Brett's until they will return on the 11th of July. I have still been having some health issues - I was home on the couch Tuesday with pain in my back, one knee is also acting up quite a bit so I have been kind of grumpy and limping around. I am so thankful for my understanding husband. We love all of you and think of you often. Thanks to those of you who keep in touch either by email or via facebook - it makes us feel so much more connected.

Serving Him Together,
Kent and Myrna Morley
Tripoleos 76
Elliniko 16777
Athens Greece
011 30 210 96 38 625
backhoeboy1@juno.com
http://kent-uniquelymorley.blogspot.com
To Support:
Online go to: www.iteams.org/give
Or Send to:
International Teams
411 W. River Rd.
Elgin IL 60123
Please designate for the ministry of Kent and Myrna Morley and indicate whether this is a
one time gift or monthly support. Thanks ;}